


The Manticore

by genovianprince



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bad Pick-Up Lines, M/M, Roller Coasters, lameness in general, they're adorable tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-09-13 11:43:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16891947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/genovianprince/pseuds/genovianprince
Summary: Shiro overhears a really cute guy talking to his reluctant friend about riding the coaster, and realizes there's a sign that says "Singles will be paired". Huh... Well, he's pretty single, so what has he got to lose?





	The Manticore

**Author's Note:**

  * For [amorremanet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amorremanet/gifts).



> To one of my best friends, Kassie. I really hope this shance is to your liking!! <333 Merry Christmas!! Early yes I know but shhh

“Nope, nope, no, no way, Lance. I told you I was going to wait in line with you and that’s it.”  
  
“Hunk,” Lance whined, “Going alone is no fun!”  
  
Shiro snorted softly to himself, glancing up at the pair in front of him in line for the roller coaster. The Manticore. Just the name made it sound terrifying, and if Hunk was anything like Shiro’s brother, Ryou, he would point-blank refuse to the point of never waiting in line with this Lance guy again.  
  
Hunk gave an exasperated sigh, looking around and spotting a sign up ahead. Jabbing his finger in its direction, he said, “Look, see? If anyone else is riding alone you’re going to be put with them. And if they’re anything like _you_ they’ll be having fun, so.”  
  
“Singles will be paired,” Lance read aloud, then smirked. “Oh, I didn’t know that this park had a _matchmaking_ service! Okay, Hunk, you’re not allowed to get on with me anymore, I could find a hot date this way.”  
  
 _Oh my god._ Shiro was hard pressed not to laugh at this guy. He sounded adorable. And man, he definitely had the same sense of humor. Shiro could see himself making that joke to Ryou.  
  
He almost didn’t dare to hope that he and Lance would wind up being paired on the ride, but he really wanted it to happen. Maybe if he could say the right thing and make Lance laugh, he could score a date.  
  
As an afterthought, he figured that at least Hunk and Ryou could bond over waiting at the end for their brother/friend to get off the heart-stopping ride. Maybe they could all be friends.  Nobody would have to be lonely if they made buddies and did these kinds of outings together.  
  
And yes, hopefully he could get a really cute guy to get his mack on with. What, he was a pretty simple guy!  
  
The line drew closer to the ride and Shiro’s excitement grew as he kept counting and recounting the people in line, trying to determine who would be with who. If he was right, and he really hoped he was, he would get sat with Lance.  
  
The pounding in his chest was driving him crazy, though, as they lined up in the gates for the seats they wanted to be in. God, Lance was going for first and he bit his lip as he lined up behind them, counting the people again. _Yes, yes, yes!_   
  
After another couple rounds of waiting, he finally slipped into the seat on the coaster beside Lance at the gesture of the attendant, watching Hunk disappear out the exit before he focused on Lance with a smile.  
  
“Your friend not like roller coasters much?” he said sympathetically.  
  
Lance shook his head. “Nah, not really. It makes him sick. Like, he gets motion sickness so bad we have to be careful in the car kind of bad,” he answered.  
  
“Ouch. Yeah, my brother’s out waiting for me at the end,” he explained. He fumbled with the harness, the damned thing almost slipping out of his sweaty grip (thanks, nerves), but got it locked down and he sighed in relief.  
  
“So, uh… Guess that means we’re both single, and since we ended up getting paired, does that make this a date?” Shiro asked, injecting fake innocence into his tone.  
  
Lance jerked in the seat, whipping to stare at Shiro insead of the buckle of the harness with wide eyes.  
  
“Whoa, what? Oh my God…” He giggled, half-covering his face with a hand. “Uh, I guess you overheard me talking to Hunk…”  
  
“Maybe a little,” Shiro admitted with a sheepish grin, “But maybe it turned out for the best, huh? I mean… I usually get in the front of the first car? But I don’t think I would have the courage to say anything to that really cute face of yours if you hadn’t, uh, loudly planted the idea in my head.”  
  
Lance blushed and had to move his hand as the attendants came by, double-checking everyone’s harnesses.   
  
“Oh, man, I… Uh. You have a cute face too,” he spluttered, “God, I swear I usually have better pickup lines than that. I’m not usually beaten to the punch. Well, I mean, if you mean that literally, I’m always beaten to the punch, hah.”  
  
Shiro raised a brow at that. “Do you _often_ get punched after flirting with someone?” he asked casually, conscious of his language. He didn’t know, after all, if Lanc only liked guys or maybe more.  
  
“Uh, just once,” Lance admitted, “But that’s a 100% rate of being beaten to the literal punch, so I think saying ‘always’ qualifies.”  
  
Shiro laughed. “Only technically,” he teased.  
  
The safety announcements started coming over the speakers and they both fell silent, despite them knowing these things backwards and forwards. Mostly out of respect. Then the coaster started chugging forward and they grinned excitedly at each other as they climbed the first hill.  
  
The view from up top was always amazing, Shiro mused as they looked out over the park. Then they just barely tipped over the top and they were staring straight down the rails for one, heart-stopping moment before it slipped forward just a little more. Screams filled the air as they plunged down and Shiro grinned, throwing his hands in the air and whooping as the air rushed past them. The loops, the ups, the downs, the up _side-_ downs, the twists and turns! It all felt so exhilarating.   
  
Lance cheered beside him, hands also up as they careened around the track, and Shiro loved the look of joy on his face. His heart certainly wasn’t only beating faster because of the speed, that was for sure.  
  
“Picture!” he called out over the wind as they drew near the part with the camera. As if their thoughts had synchronized, somehow, they both made goofy faces at it and laughed as they pulled in with one last whoop.  
  
Together they exited, excitedly chatting about sharing the day together. They met up with Hunk and Ryou, faces flushed and grins on their faces as they approached with their hand shyly joined.  
  
Hunk took one look at them and shook his head. “I didn’t think you meant it when you said you wanted to come out of there with a hot date!”  
  
Lance snickered. “You should know me better by now,” he teased.  
  
Ryou also shook his head, adding an eyeroll. “Only you, Takashi, could come off a roller coaster with a date.”  
  
Shiro simply shrugged, grinning at Lance again. It felt right. “What else could I do? We finish each other’s—”  
  
“Sandwiches!” Lance grinned back as he finished the sentence, making Shiro burst into laughter.  
  
Hunk and Ryou traded rueful looks.  
  
“Looks like we’re stuck with them,” Hunk said, snorting.  
  
“Mhm. May as well make the most of it. Who’s up for lunch?” Ryou asked, leading the group away from the exit.  
  
“Oh, me, definitely,” Shiro spoke up, “Since we’re walking all over this place, I declare cheat day. I want the burgers and milkshakes from that retro cafe place they have here.”  
  
“Oh, I love that place. Let’s go!” Lance tugged on Shiro’s hand and jumped up excitedly.  
  
“Yeah, me too,” Hunk added, “but you two better not share a milkshake with two straws. Way too cliche.”  
  
Lance scoffed. “As if. We got a date on a roller coaster. Anything _but_ cliche. Besides, we have still just met. I don’t know if Shiro has herpes or not.”  
  
“Ouch. But… fair,” Shiro said, snickering. “No sharing milkshakes, Hunk, I promise.”  
  
Lance smiled up at Shiro. “At least for today,” he chimed in, “Maybe after we get to know each other better.”  
  
Shiro smiled back softly, swinging their hands slowly. “Yeah.”


End file.
